Spinach

"I'm strong to the finish when I eats me spinach." ~Popeye, The Sailor Man~

One of the new items that we grew in the garden this year was spinach. It also happens to be one of the plants that I am interested in attempting to gather seed from. At this point I would have to say things are running rather smoothly. We had a solid return from the spinach seed and with the quick onset of warm weather some of the plants have already started to bolt, so the seed making process has begun as well.

Let's take a moment and talk about some of the health benefits associated with this leafy green. To begin with it is a great source of calcium, since I am not much of a milk drinker this is great news for me. It is also a good source of Vitamin A & C as well as fiber and magnesium.

Spinach also contains vital nutrients that reportedly protect against certain cancers, especially colon, lung and breast cancer. It is also reported that the flavonoids, collectively known as citrin and Vitamin P, in spinach help protect us from age related memory loss. It is also worth reporting that spinach has lutein which is a leader in preventing cataracts.

It would seem that Popeye was onto something!